SUPER GT
FUN BOOK
A Beginners’ Guide to SUPER GT

Publisher: GT Association
SUPER GT FUN BOOK is sponsored bySUPER GT Official Social MediaSUPER GT@SUPERGT_JP
supergt_official

©GTA

©GTA

Introduction to

SUPER GT©GTASUPER GT is Japan’s premier
touring car competition
featuring heavily-modified
production cars (or those designed
to be commercially available). GT
stands for Grand Touring – a highperformance automobile capableof high speed and long-distancedriving. SUPER GT is a longdistance racing competition driven
by a couple of drivers per car
sharing the driving duty. The cars
lining up to compete in the topclass GT500 are from the Japanese“Big 3” automakers while domestic
and overseas manufacturers go up
against each other in the otherclass GT300. One of the greatest
excitements of SUPER GT is a mixed
format that GT500 and GT300 cars
run a same race as a pack. It has led
the series to the Japanese top
favourite motorsport drawing
approx 400,000 spectators a year.

2

Elite Drivers andProminent Team Directors
Gather in SUPER GT
The drivers participating in SUPER GT are well be ranked as thebest in the country. Many of them started their career in juniorkarting competitions and eventually stepped up into higher
racing categories, of which some have competed internationally
including even F1 and World Endurance Championship (WEC).
SUPER GT actually has many world-class talents from abroad aswell. On top of that, most teams appoint charismatic former
drivers to team directors who have achieved successful career inthe top categories such as F1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thishas made the series establish a leading position in the Japanese
motor racing, and creating even more exciting and dramatic
battles to attract millions of fans globally.

SUPER GT has a lot of talents. (From left to right) Seiji Ara is the winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, former F1 driver Aguri
Suzuki now serves as the team director of ARTA, and primising young drivers such as Ritomo Miyata show their presence
after having improved driving skills in F4 (see page 23).

Championship Battles to Go Down to the Wire
SUPER GT car is driven by two drivers sharing the driving duty. Driver points are awarded to the top ten
finishers in each race, and the driver duo who earns the most points over the course of the season
becomes the champion. To equalize competitivenessand avoid any runaway contender, a success weight(success ballast) is assigned to cars according to thedrivers’ points scored in the previous races. It
reduces any single car’s chance of domination overthe season, thereby the championship is highly likely©GTA ©GTA
to go down to the wire!

Motor Racing isClassified in Two Groups
Motor racing is classified roughly into twogroups according to type of motor vehicle.
One is “formula car racing” featuringopen-wheel and single-seated cars
designed exclusively for racing. F1 is thebest-known category in this group. The
other is “touring car racing” with heavilymodified street cars. SUPER GT belongs tothis group.

©GTA

Touring Car Racing Formula Car Racing
Cars seen on the streets with closed cockpit are referred toas “touring cars”. Some races feature production vehicles
that remain unmodified whereas others, such as SUPER GT,
involve considerably modified cars.

Open-wheel and open-cockpit formula cars are lighter
weight than production vehicles that have been designed
primarily to produce high speed. The single-seated cars
actually have excellent acceleration and cornering speed.

3Tips for Giving an Added Excitement
SUPER GT comes loaded with exciting twists to give you a buzz.
Races would be more fun if you know it is all about!

Cars Entered in 2021 Season• Audi R8 LMS• BMW M6 GT3• Ferrari 488 GT3• Honda NSX GT3• Lamborghini HURACAN GT3• LEXUS RC F GT3• LOTUS EVORA MC• Mercedes AMG GT3• NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3• PORSCHE 911 GT3 R• SUBARU BRZ GT300• TOYOTA GR Supra• TOYOTA GR SPORT PRIUS PHV• TOYOTA 86 MC

No.21

Hitotsuyama Audi R8 LMS

Cars Entered in 2021 Season• TOYOTA GR Supra GT500• Honda NSX-GT• NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

No.37

KeePer TOM’S GR SupraClasses and Models

Diversity Provides Excitement

SUPER GT is a mixed-format racing competition where
two classes, GT500 and GT300 determined by thedifference in performance level, race together. Each classis categorized by the respective horsepower that is
capped by intake of fuel flow to the engine in GT500
while by intake of air flow in GT300. What makes
SUPER GT tremendously exciting is two classes atdifferent performance levels are racing together, thusfans get to enjoy seeing frequent overtaking. A total of
17 models from both classes take part in the 2020
season. There is no such race series as SUPER GT withthis colourful array of cars to compete.

One of the features of SUPER GT is the cars with various
specs compete. Taking Prius for example, the decent
four-door sedan can be a competitive race car withengine and chassis rightfully modified to deliver superior
performance. And yet participants are regulated tocome with the same levelof horsepower. Thus
totallydifferent
classifications of car –ultimate sports car andconservative sedan – canbe mixed in a single race.

Success Ballast System Creates Close Battles
One-car dominance spoils thefun of the sport. To avoid
this, SUPER GT introduced
the success ballast systemcalled ”Success Weight”
where additional weight
determined by each race
result is loaded to the car in The decal on the side of the car shows
how much weight is imposed to the car
the following race.Heaviercars have poorer acceleration and braking; thus thechampionship battle is highly likely to go down to
the wire.

You can spot the difference
between GT500 and GT300 simply
by looking at these three points
represented in respective colours:
windshield decal, headlight andcar number panel. GT500 classcars come with clear/white while
GT300 are with yellow (or orange).

Headlight

Headlights are also an easy way for you
to spot classes even from a distance orin bad weather.

Rd. 1

WeightConversion

PointsScoredn/a5Weight to be Loaded(points scored in previous races × applicable weight)

35pts × 2kg = 10kg

15

8pts (5+3) × 2kg = 16kg

20

23pts (5+3+15) × 2kg = 46kg

Rd. 5

13

43pts (5+3+15+20) × 2kg = 86kg

Rd. 6

4

56pts (5+3+15+20+13) ×2kg = 112kg

Rd. 2
Rd. 3
Rd. 4

1pt = 2kg
*1

Rd. 7

1pt = 1kg

Rd. 8

n/a

*2

1

60pts (5+3+15+20+13+4) × 1kg = 60kg
0kg
*1: 3kg in GT300 *2: 1.5kg in GT300

Car Number
Panel

Car number panels with black numbers
on either white or yellow background
go on display on the side of the cars.

Front Windshield Decal
GT500 class cars come with white decals while GT300 cars arewith yellow (or Orange).

Success Weight (success ballast) in GT500 Class* Weight is assigned according to accumulated points the driver has scored in previous races. * Success ballast max out at 100kg (i.e. In the above table, the car in Round 6 should havea weight of 112kg though the excess 12kg are exempted). *In GT500, the car with weights of 51kg and over must employ one of three different fuel flow restrictor to cap
engine power.

4

Spot Class at a Glance

Rolling Start
SUPER GT employs a rolling start to initiate a race.
Unlike F1, which adopts a standing start with carsremaining stationary on the grid until a green signal isgiven to start the race, SUPER GT races start with carsalready in motion. In the rolling start, all cars follow alead car, known as a safety car, in qualifying ordermaintaining speed and position until the safety car
leaves the track and starting signal turns green. As
overtaking is allowed only after passing the start line,
all the drivers get to charge ahead towards the firstcorner to outdo the competitors. Don’t miss thegruelling scramble as they vie for a better position!
5Race Weekend Schedule

The Path to Victory
Let’s have a look at how a race weekend is going.
Learn more about SUPER GT and enjoy your time at circuit.

1

QUALIFYING

Grabbing Pole Position Is Not Easy

Race weekend schedule

Qualifying is crucial as it is where the starting lineup is determined. As SUPER GT employs knockout format, both
two drivers must be quick enough to get into higher position. Everyone makes a desperate attempt to record thefastest lap in the qualifying sessions within the given time. It really is a breathtaking battle well worth watching.
Better qualifying results put you to be way out front in the starting grid which brings a great advantage over the competitors in the race.

Knockout Format

Neither GT300 nor GT500 teams whose qualifying result is below a predetermined position
can advance to the second stage (Q2). They are eliminated in the first stage (Q1) and fill theback of the grid. The Q1 qualifiers will then battle Q2 out for pole position. GT300 are
divided into 2 groups in Q1 as the class has many participants.

Top 8 advance to Q2

GT300 Group B(10 min)
Top 8 advance to Q2

17th and below eliminated and fill the positions.
The 9th qualifier in the Q1 faster Group fills the 17th position,
the 8th in the slower Group fills the 18th,
and the same alternation of Group A and B follows.

2 RACE

5-minute interval

GT300 Group A(10 min)Saturday (Qualifying)
7:00

GT300
(10 min)

Top 8 advance to Q2

Top 16 determined

GT500(10 min)Free practice
Pit walk

11:00

Top 3 qualifiers talk show

12:00

All drivers appearance

Pit walk

Starting procedure/grid walk

TIP #3

Race

16:00

Pole Position press conference

17:00

Kids walkPodium Award Ceremony
Race winners’ press conference

6This free event is similar to the Pit Walk
but limited to younger kids under 15. It
takes place on Saturday evening. Any
adults as guardians accompanied by
his/her children can also attend, so it’smore of a family event to enjoy.

* Public scrutineering, pit walk, grid
walk and kids walk might not beable to take place in this season.

* Any driver who took part in Q1 may not participate in Q2.

SUPER GT Is Held Throughout Japan and Abroad!
SUPER GT covers the nation and now diversifies into Asian countries. The globalization expands the sport’s fan basenot only within Japan but also around the world.
MiyagiSportsland SUGO
SUGO
Thailand*

Chang Int’l Circuit

Malaysia*

Sepang Int’l Circuit
OkayamaOkayama Int’l Circuit

OKAYAMA

Rd. 1

1 Point May Carry Extra Meaning to the End

Race completion points are added to team points
corresponding to the number of laps completed.

The grid walk enables you to catch aglimpse of the starting grid right before
the race commences. Experience a tense
atmosphere as teams make their final
preparations for the race. Accessible
only for Grid Walk pass holders.

An all-hands event held right before
the start of the race. You can watch theevent through the circuit screens.

Qualifying (knockout)

One driver may only drive up to two-thirds (2/3) of a given race distance.

Top ten finishers of each class ineach race score points towards
both the drivers’ and teams’
standings. Points are accumulated
in each race depending on the
results. Some drivers in the past
have won the title by a single
point. One point could not be considered negligible.

An event to experience walking throughthe SUPER GT pit lane where you canview the cars and garages up close.
Sometimes drivers meet your wishes for
autographs and photos if you are lucky.
Accessible only for Pit Walk pass holders.

All Drivers Appearance*Check out for the fixed schedule at supergt.net or the circuit’s official website.

10-minute interval

Genuine Speed Is Not Enough

3 POINT SYSTEM

Kids Walk

9:00
10:00

Race strategy is a big key to win a race. It includes which driver to be assigned
first to driving duty and when to pit. As each team has its own strategy, it could
create more exciting races. Both speed and intelligence are vital to victory.

TIP #2Sunday (Race)

8:00

15:00

Top 8 determined

Grid Walk

Autograph & photo opportunity

Public scrutineering& open pit

14:00

GT500
(10 min)

9 and below
eliminated andfill positions

Drivers on duty

13:00

Q2
8-minute interval

Q1

8-minute interval

TIP #1

Pit Walk

Friday is dedicated to preparing for the race. On-track
actions begin on Saturday with free practice and qualifying.
Sunday is where the actual race takes place (*).
In between SUPER GT sessions, there are a variety of events
held for all ages. The circuit is bustling with excitement andyou can fully enjoy yourself all day long.

Rd. 5

September 11 - 12

April 10 - 11

Driver Points (*given to race finishers)
Classification 1st
Points
20

2nd
15

3rd
11

4th
8

5th
6

6th
5

7th
4

8th
3

9th
2

10th
1

* One point is given to the driver duo in each class who claimed pole position.

Classification 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Points
20
15
11
8
6
5
4
3
2
1
No. of laps
Same lap as 1st
1 lap behind 1st Finished race 2 laps or more behind 1st
GT500
3 points
2 points
1 point
No. of laps Same lap as 1st or 1 lap behind 2 laps behind 1st Finished race 3 laps or more behind 1st
GT300
3 points
2 points
1 point* In races with a distance of 700km or longer,
driver/team points are awarded on a 25-18-13-10-8-6-5-4-3-2 basis.

Twin Ring Motegi

Tochigi

Team Points (*given to race finishers)

MOTEGI

Rd. 4

July 17 -18

Rd. 7

November 6 - 7

Shizuoka
Oita

Autopolis

AUTOPOLIS

Rd. 6

October 23 - 24

Mie

Suzuka Circuit

SUZUKA Rd. 3

May 29 - 30 *** Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 season will have domestic rounds only.
** Round 3 Suzuka is now postponed due to COVID-19 (rescheduled date is TBA).

FUJI

Fuji Speedway

Rd. 2

May 3 - 4

Rd. 8

November 27 - 28

7

Circuits are Filled withFun!

D

GrandstandCircuit has many facilities besides a track including pit area where teams do their duties; race
control tower to keep the race safe, legal and punctual; and medical center for the injured to becared for. Come to the circuit and experience SUPER GT at first hand. All those SUPER GT cars
are just inch away from you, and you’ll be overwhelmed by their irresistible speed and engine
sound. You may even bump into your favourite drivers. In between sessions, there are many fun
events you don’t want to miss: talk shows and stage performances at the event space, and pit
walk and kids pit walk on the pit road... everything must give you a great time!

D Fun Village
A ton of fun events make your day extremely enjoyable!
Go see the drivers’ talk shows, Race Queen (grid girls)
appearances on the stage, various cars on display andkids kart. The SUPER GT official shop is in this area
featuring team merchandise, model cars, official SUPERGT merchandise and more. There are also places to eat
introducing snacks and yummy local dishes.

C
A

©GTA

A Race Control Tower

B

The race control is responsible for monitoring andsupervising everything happening on the track. It includes
keeping the track safe, providing timing data and penalizing
violations of the regulations.

©GTA

B Paddock
A closed area in which teams’transporters are kept, and also
team crew, drivers and otherofficials do their job. You will
see the drivers walking andrace cars right over there
unless you keep a respectful
distance from them.

C PitsSUPER GT Emergency System “FRO”

An area designated for teams
to work on the cars and forthe drivers to make pit stops
for refuelling and/or driverchange during the race. The
area is open to the public
only when the pit walk andkids pit walk take place.

Professionals
Working at the Circuits
SPECIALISTS
Race Director
The race director manages thelogistics of the race. He is
authorized to make every decision
about the race control incl. issuanceof flags and penalty decision. Eachcircuit has its own race director.
8

SUPER GT’s unique one-stop emergency system
is called FRO (First Rescue Operation). A welltrained driver, an emergency physician, a firewarden, and a set of fire extinguisher are all
loaded in a single car to provide strong support
for quicker rescue activities. SUBARU Outback,Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Nissan Patrol
NISMO serve as FRO in 2021.

©GTA

©GTA

©GTA

The success of race owes not only to integrity of infrastructure but to theteam of specialists and vehicles with a mission to stand behind the race. No
events can happen without their commitment.

MarshalMarshals (a.k.a. officials) are observers
on the trackside whose primary role is
to give attention to race to go on safely
and smoothly. They are bound in duty
to wave a flag to signal the drivers what
is happening on the track. When an
accident occurs, they rush over to thescene of the accident to ensure safety.

Medical TeamThe medical team joinsSUPER GT throughout theseason to be on stand-by
at all times for accidents
and emergencies. They
also serve as a “family
doc tor ” to keep thedrivers fit.

VEHICLES
Pace Car/Marshal Car

A vehicle driven by an official to lead all cars in gridorder maintaining speed and position until the starting
signal is given. Anothermajor role is to keep the
track safe to monitor the
track for signs of danger.
TOYOTA GR Supra has
been assigned since the2020 season.

Ambulance & Helicopter
Both are on stand-by for accidents.
Ambulance is posted around thetrack to rush to the scene of injury.
Helicopter is also kept ready at all
times for any severe case to transport
quickly to hospital.

Transporter
Transporter is a lorry loaded with race cars
and teams’ equipment to transport themfrom a circuit to the other. Most of them are
specially liveried, and have plenty of fans.

9GT Car Description
GT cars are heavily-modified production cars.
Let’s take a look at the differences
between the two to find out
what modifications have been made to GT cars.

Cockpit is a driver’s compartment. It isentangled in roll cages to protect the driverfrom being injured and the car seat is custom
fitted to achieve optimal fit and comfort. Air
conditioner and cool suit are provided to avoid
getting heatstroke.

The significance of aerodynamics is to channel theairflow perfectly and generate as much downforce aspossible that presses the car down onto the road. This
increases the car’s grip generated by the tires to permit
higher cornering speed. They are mounted in thewindswept part such as either in the sides of the frontor the rear. In the GT500 class, the front spoiler, underfloor and rear diffuser must be predetermined
configurations; and all cars have common rear wing.
For the body, the development of aerodynamics can bedone freely to the specified area (in the lower part ofthe car) shown in bluein the illustration on
the right. Above thespecified area, it must
be the same as that ofproduction cars. In theGT300 class, the GT300 subclass permits development
within the prescribed limits, and the rear wing uses
single plane. In the FIA GT3 subclass, designs notallowed in the GT300 can be used on condition thatthe basic specifications are followed, but changing theaero parts themselves is not permitted.

The success in a race depends on how good the engine
got tuned to gain racing competitiveness. All teams give
one of the top priorities to the engine development.
Currently, GT500 cars must be powered by a 2-litre
turbocharged inline-four. In the GT300 class, cars built
to the GT300 regulations are free to mount any engine
from the same manufacturer as those of the basechassis while the FIA GT3 cars are more strictly
regulated and have no such flexibility in the engines.

To ensure safety, the drivers are obliged
to wear a helmet with a HANS (HeadAnd Neck Support) device to disperse
the impact on head and neck into thewhole shoulder. Racing suit is required
to be flame retardant so as to offer
protection in the event of a fire.

Production cars are made ofsteel/aluminium whereas
SUPER GT cars use lighter
sturdy carbon-fibre in the
bodywork to pursue higher
speed. It helps the race cars
to reduce weight drastically.

A Variety of Cars under Diverse Regulations

SUPER GT employs purpose-built
racing tires which are wider thanthose on production cars. Tires
must be optimally chosen
according to the track conditions.
Slick (grooveless) tires are best in
dry conditions while rain tires
should be used in wet weather.

10

GT300 class is open to cars constructed to both GT300 and FIA GT3 regulations. The GT300
regulations relatively allow for greater flexibility in the development of cars, thus you will see
various cars with all different engine displacement, drive system and bodywork. On top of that,
another new concept cars, on which GTA-developed mother chassis (having a number ofcommon components such as monocoque and engine) is employed, are now taking part in thisclass. FIA GT3- regulated cars, meanwhile, are eligible for many other GT races held across theglobe with a huge fanbase worldwide, and many
FIA GT3 cars also
participate in SUPER GT.
Such the diversity adds
absolute excitement to theGT300 class.

11Anatomy of a Pit Stop
SUPER GT has strict regulations about pit work: a maximum of five mechanics are allowed in the working area to
conduct all the operations; tire change must be done by no more than two crew of the five; the engine must be
switched off during any pit stops; and tire change is not allowed during refuelling. Since choosing the optimal pit
strategy as well as crew’s performance is crucial for a successful race, they ceaselessly train very hard to pursue as
quick and accurate as possible pit works to gain an advantage over competitors. Let’s find out how it works.

Refuelling

Driver Change

As a full tank of fuel does not cover the whole distance,
refuelling is needed to complete the race. Although rigs
used in SUPER GT are designed to allow for rapid
refuelling, flow rate has been programmed in to provide
enough time for a driver switch.

Each car is required by the regulations to be
driven by at least two drivers sharing the driving
duty in a race. A driver may not drive for morethan two-thirds (2/3) of the whole distance.

Essential Tool
for Pit WorkFire
Extinguisher

As the SUPER GT cars run on petrol, pit
works must be performed withextreme care to avoid fires caused byfuel leakage or spark. A crew is on
standby with a fire extinguisher
whenever refuelling.

Impact Wrench

Essential Tool
for Pit WorkA tool designed for quickly winding off and on
wheel nuts, allowing pit crew to change tires
breathtakingly fast. Crew often customize
their wrench to fit comfortably in their hands
to improve work performance.

Tire Change
To cover a long-distance race, you probably have got tochange tires at some point. Nevertheless, as tire change is
optional, it is at each team’s discretion to change all four,
either front or rear only, or none. You will be impressed bytire changers’ consummate performance: lifting heavy tires
effortlessly, taking off the worn rubbers and fit the freshones - all done so quickly and precisely.

Air Jack
A pneumatically-driven device for lifting a car off the ground
while changing tires. By injecting compressed nitrogen into
insertion slots (pistons) on front or side of the car, the pistonsproject downwards to promptly lift the car off the ground.

Team
Members

12

Team Director

Engineer

Pit Board Man

Team Manager

Race Queen

The team director has total
control over the race by making
ever y strategic decision,
including when to pit, rationallyand instantly in each phase. He is
the main pillar of the teamleading all members.

The engineer’s main role is toanalyze data obtained fromrace car as well as drivers’
feedback. He then shares every
strategic decision withmechanics to achieve the best
performance.

A man holds out a board on thepit wall to inform a driver of thetime interval to his competitor(s)and the timing of a pit stop. As
the driver streaks across themain straight, It isabsolutely crucial
to hold the board
up for him viewing
it easily.

The manager covers a wide
range of duties: handlingmedia enquires and taking
excellent care of sponsors
are of particular significanceto this job. There are anumber of women valued
in this professional field.

With adding glitz andglamour to circuits, the race
queens (grid girls) serve as
an important symbol ofpromoting teams and theirsponsors’ products. Theysure play an essential role
as belles in SUPER GT.

13

What Makes GT Cars So Fast?
Engine – the Heart of the Car

Tire – a Big Performance Differentiator
Tires are the only point of contact between car and track.
It is vitally important to select the right ones for great performance.

Engine is considered the most critical part of the vehicle.
A variety of engine types can be seen in SUPER GT.

How Tire Works
Tires provide fundamental motions. They play a key role in driving
stability and optimum braking distance. As SUPER GT cars are designed
to go much faster than production vehicles, the tires tend to wear out
very quickly. For this reason tires used in SUPER GT are all from provenand trusted manufacturers.
There are four tire suppliers competing in SUPER GT this season. Teams
can partner up with whichever supplier as they think the best matchwith their cars. You will sometimes see the same models on track withdifferent tires on for a strategic reason that makes the race more
intriguing and unpredictable.

How Engine WorksEngine is one of the most vital components which is said to be
the “heart” of automobile. The mechanism is quite intricate
but, put simply, its purpose is to burn fuel to create heat into
motion so that the car can move.
Engines come in many different types and all have their
distinctive feature such as having good acceleration,
capable of increasing top end speed, and lightweight. In
SUPER GT, there are a plethora of vehicle types, and thus
engines are also naturally quite diverse. Giving great
attention to the engines might be another good idea
for you to enjoy the race even more.

Four Primary Functions of SUPER GT Tires

From an anterior view, an arrayof cylinders is arranged in twobanks to form “V” which is to
avoid overly long engine withmany cylinders arranged intandem. This engine is often
used on cars requiring highhorsepower such as sports cars
and large-size cars.

Also called horizontally opposedengine having cylinders arranged
by pairs on opposite sides of the
crankshaft (180 degrees apart)that can be kept shorter, andlower the center of gravity. As thepiston movements resemble
boxing, they are also referred toas “boxer engine”.

This engine can be seen on
Mercedes AMG GT3
Audi R8 LMSThis engine can be seen on
SUBARU BRZ GT300PORSCHE 911 GT3 R

Commonly used vehicle engine
generates power by moving
pistons up and down, of which
inline engines have cylinders
aligned in one row with nooffset. These engines are usuallyfound on small displacement
vehicles.
This engine can be seen on
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500
Honda NSX-GT
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

SUBARU Engine’s Distinctive ValueSUBARU makes a BRZ entry into the GT300 class. The car comes with a flat (boxer) engine in its power unit. An
excellent vehicle balance is achieved by lightweight, compactness and lower center of gravity, compared to standard
engines. These advantages allow for a smooth and shudder-free feel to deliver driving stability. Additionally, since
the design philosophy for the location of GT car engine and mounting arrangements are shared with that ofproduction vehicles, it delivers high-level and good balance driving experience you can enjoy with SUBARU vehicles.

14

3

Changing and Maintaining
Direction of Travel
SUPER GT tires provide excellent steering
precision on corners and good stability
on straights responding to a wide variety
of demands of drive and road.

(Traction & Braking)

Flat Engine
Reduces engine height andlowers the center of gravity

2

4(Comfort)

V Engine
Reduces the overall length ofengine with many cylinders(Load Support)

Straight/Inline
Common on production cars,suitable for small displacementand 2, 3 or 4-cylinder

Supporting Car’s Weight
Even though GT car is lighter weight thanroad car, it weighs over one ton. With adriver and success ballast added on, tires
must be strong enough to withstandconsiderable load.

(Steering & Stability)

Engine Types Seen in SUPER GT

1

Transmitting Propulsion
and Braking
Tires must transmit braking force onto thetrack surface accurately. SUPER GT tires
are carefully designed to reduce braking
distance allowing for tire-road friction. It
works well especially in pit stops.

Absorbing Shocks from RoadAs GT cars run at high speed, drivers are
subject to impact from obstacle andbumps on the track. SUPER GT tires
absorb such shocks and offer comfort fordrivers to stay focused on the race.

Bringing SUPER GT-proven Technologies to Commercial Tires
All the technologies and experience gained in SUPERGT and other motorsport competitions have trickled
down to Bridgestone’s sport tire range “Potenza”. The
product lineup varies depending on the intended use.
“RE-12D”is a premium performance tire exclusively forcircuit use with lap time benefit; “RE-71RS” is for race
track to everyday driving tuned for both dry and wet
conditions; and “S007A” provides the superior driving
performance for an exciting ride.
For more information on Bridgestone motorsport

RE-12D

RE-71RS

S007A

https://ms.bridgestone.co.jp/4/supergt/
15Make More Enjoyable Life with Car

Components to DeliverHigh Performance to GT500

MOTORSPORT & CAR LIFE

Engine Control Unit (ECU) / Injector /High-pressure pump
Key components to ensure optimal engine performance:
ECU is for the computerized control of an engine, injector
controls the injection of the fuel, and high-pressure pumpprovides fuel into the injector. They all demonstrate the highreliability under severe conditions of the motorsport.

Injector#8 2021 ARTA NSX-GT

Engine Control Unit
(ECU)

High-pressure Pump

#55 2021 ARTA NSX GT3

Motorsport is robustly backed by many companies.
The amsc members are all engaged in the development of various automotive products.
Their consumer products are actually used on the GT cars as well.
[ amsc MEMBERS ]Power box
An intelligent control anddistribution unit for electriccomponents such as headlight,
indicator and air conditioner.
By optimizing the control, it iscapable to use electric power
efficiently and make effective
use of engine power.

Multi-display
With this device in the cockpit,
drivers have access instantly to all
the information they need so thatthey can stay focused on driving.
The big and HD display ensureshigh viewability. As menu structure
is configurable, the user canchoose for example intended forthe use of driver or for pit crew.

Bosch’s contribution in motorsport began in 1901 Nice–Salon–Nice race where a car equipped with a
Bosch magneto ignition claimed victory. Since then, Bosch has been chosen as the proven supplier inmany major race series such as F1, WEC and WRC for over 100 long years. They have beencommitting to the motorsport to keep on evolving while increasing technological capability to address
the development of even safer, more efficient and pleasing production vehicles.
As an official sponsor of SUPER GT, Bosch now offers a variety of vital components to all the GT500
cars including engine control unit (ECU), multi-display, power box, injector, high-pressure pump andwiper motor. Most of them are high-performing products optimized for the motorsport .
With the common components as the big differentiators of engine performance, Bosch sure will domuch for yet higher performance and create more exciting series than ever.

16

as of March 10, 2021

17

For PlayStation® Console

Helmet – Driver’s Signature Item
More than just a protective gear.
Helmet is something to give individuality to the driver.

How Helmet Works
Helmet is primarily a protective gear worn toprotect the driver’s head from injuries andimpacts. Only authorized helmets that meetthe strict safety standards, including shockabsorbing capacity, penetration resistance andfire retardancy, can be used in SUPER GT.
Helmet also is
unique personal
item with iconic
design and livery,so that the drivers
can be easilyspotted. Whose
artwork is yourfavourite?

A Racing Helmet
with a Proven Track Recordin the Pinnacle of Motorsport
A lightweight motor racing helmet “GP-6 8859” ismade of the same material as that of GP-6RC, a carbon
helmet used in F1, having a race-proven structure toassure a high level of safety. The GP-6 8859 comesequipped with M6 terminal toattach anchors for connecting
HANS device to the helmet. This
headgear has all the features thatsatisfy professional demands.

GRAN TURISMO SPORT
Enjoy the latest version of “GRAN TURISMO” on PlayStation®!
The latest version of the acclaimed game series “GRAN TURISMO SPORT” is
now available for PlayStation®. The series has recorded a total of 80.4 million
copies (*) worldwide. FIA-certified GRAN TURISMO Online Championships
are underway and live for racers worldwide! For more information about
GRAN TURISMO SPORT, check out the official website.
* as of May 5, 2018

For more information on Arai HelmetSUPER GT
Official Model Cars
New range for 2021! Enjoy the accuracy of our 1:43 scale models.
EBBRO’s 1:43 scale die-cast modelcars offer high quality flavour down
to the finest detail in pursuit ofuncompromising accuracy that onlySUPER GT official models coulddeliver. From a wide range of our
products, you are bound to find theone you are looking for. More newmodels will be released for the2021 season. Visit EBBRO’s website
for the latest information.

EBBRO

die-cast models
18• Contact: MMP (Tel +81 54 207 8082) • Official website: http://ebbro.co.jp

GRAN TURISMO SPORT
video game

• Official website:

http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/
Gran Turismo SPORT: TM & © Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

19

Have more content
and more fun on SUPER GT
with SUPER GT SQUARE!

Weekly TV Program “SUPER GT +”The only regular program on terrestrial “SUPER GT +” is a content-rich TV
series going into its 11th year. The program covers committedly both insideand out of the Japanese top motorsport category “SUPER GT” featuring a lotof fun content including race by race reports both on GT500 and GT300.
“SUPER GT +” also provides the latest news and test drive reviews on roadcars. The program is hosted by Akiyoshi Nakao and Maki Okazoe.
Air date Every Sunday at 11:30 pm on TV Tokyo network

Missed episodes can be watched on video streaming services“Net-mo-TV TOKYO” and “TVer”.
Official website http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/sgt/
Official twitter https://twitter.com/#!/supergt_plus
Official Instagram https://www.instagram.com/super_gt_plus

Watch All SUPER GT Live on J SPORTS
J SPORTS, a sports satellite channel, broadcasts live all qualifying sessions and racesof SUPER GT. All episodes are aired in returns and On Demand. J SPORTS provides
more programs on SUPER GT: “On-board Plus” a recorded race program with
on-board camera footage; and “GTV” a talk show featuring invited guest drivers oncool and interesting stories about SUPER GT.

SUPER GT Supporters ClubSUPER GT Official Stage

SUPER GT Supporters Club runs a fan club toprovide a variety of privileges to the members.

SUPER GT Official Stage offers stage content suchas drivers’ talk shows on the onsite event space.

SUPER GT Kids Kart

SUPER GT Official Shop

Kids aged 6 to 12 can have a free trial of his/her
first taste of driving.

We have a large selection of SUPER GT merchandise
including cheering goods, apparel and sundries.

SUPER GT BEARS “POLE & WINNIE”
SGT mascots as well as store managers“Pole & Winnie” goods are now available!

J SPORTS is the largest sport TV station with four channels available on BS SKY PerfecTV! and your local cable television.

Ever-popular success weight goods▶ SUPER GT success weight key chain(5types: 10kg/20kg/30kg/50kg/100kg)

Official website www.jsports.co.jp/motor/supergt/

All you need to know is here!

SUPER GT Official Website▲ SUPER GT success weight flat pouch(5types: 10kg/20kg/30kg/50kg/100kg)

SUPER GT official website is easy to navigate and has full of useful information
containing the latest news, teams and drivers profiles, must-check points foreach race, and ticket information, etc. It’s got everything about SUPER GT!

SUPER GT Official Website ▶

▼ SUPER GT weight towel (scarf type)

http://supergt.net
Goods for kids
SUPER GT checkered mesh cap Jr.

SMARTPHONE APP

More kids stuff incl. hoodies and T shirts are available.

SHOP ONLINE
NOW!

iPhone/iPad App

SUPER GT 2021 Timing App
A dedicated iPhone/iPad app “SUPER GT 2021 Timing
App” gives you an instant access to gruelling SUPER GT
battles in real time. Download free. By making in-app
purchases (980JPY, tax included), you can enjoy extra
content such as live timing data view for each track
session (free practice, qualifying and race) and circuit
position view. Get it now on the App Store!
20

Follow SUPER GT on social media and get the latest news!
@supergt_squaresuper_gt_squareSUPER GT SQUARE

Add SUPER GT as a friend
in LINE!!

You will get an original wallpaper!
Search the ID (@sgt_square) on the “AddFriends” menu; or scan the QR code.

@sgt_square21A joint race with DTM (Deutsche
Tourenwagen Masters) titled as“SUPER GT / DTM Special Battle”
takes place in Japan for the firsttime featuring 7 DTM cars.

Eight (8) rounds were initially scheduled though the Kumamoto

The World-class Racing Series
SUPER GT launched in 1994 originally as the
All-Japan GT Championship. The predecessor
series mainly featured domestic sports carsalong with foreign cars such as Porsche, Ferrari
and Lamborghini. Its popularity has growntremendously as the number of participants
increased, and the series began expanding into
overseas in the 2000s. This globalization led tothe series name change to SUPER GT in 2005.
Seeing a considerable increase in FIA GT3
participants in recent years, SUPER GT is going
more global than ever before. As GT500 and
DTM began using common technicalregulations in 2014 and they jointly have been
having some events since then, SUPER GT gets
more and more globalized.

1994 All-Japan GT Car Championship (JGTC) launches with 5 rounds.
1995 The season has 6 rounds.
The classes are reclassified into GT500 and GT300 representing the1996 expected horsepower. A non-title race “All Star Series” inaugurates in
addition to the predetermined 6 rounds.

With Honda’s full-season entry, GT500 now is the competition among

1997 Big 3 automakers with Toyota and Nissan already in participation. The
season has 6 rounds and an All Star Series.

1996

both in Germany and Japan.

2018

2019

The season has 8 rounds. The year 2018 marks 25th anniversary of the
JGTC inauguration.
The season has 8 rounds. A joint race with DTM “SUPER GT / DTM Special

2019 Battle” takes place in November at Fuji.

GT500 cars and DTM cars now use common technical regulations. The
season was supposed to have 2 overseas and 6 domestic rounds, but it2020 has been rescheduled to have 8 domestic rounds in 3 circuits due to thenovel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A first-ever overseas exhibition race in Malaysia takes place in addition

2000 to the predetermined 7 domestic rounds.

2001 The season has 7 rounds with an exhibition race in Malaysia as in 2000.
The season has 8 rounds of which one is the first official overseas round2002 in Malaysia (Round 4).

2010 technical regulations. NSX successor HSV-010 GT is entered in GT500. The
season has 8 rounds with a non-title race “JAF Grand Prix” at Fuji.

2011 The season has 8 rounds with JAF GP at Fuji.
The season has 8 rounds with JAF GP at Fuji. First-ever hybrid vehicle in2012 SUPER GT is introduced in GT300.

2013 The season has 8 rounds with JAF GP at Fuji.
The Malaysian round,joined as an exhibition
race since 2000, is now
made an official round.

The season has 8 rounds. GT500 introduces new car that meets the2017 updated safety standards, and has crossover exhibition races with DTM

Considering the worldwide spreading of COVID-19 pandemic, theGT500 cars are now all FR powered by 3.4-liter V8 engine to meet the2002

rescheduled to the finale at Motegi in November followed by Round 8.

2021 season is scheduled to have 8 domestic rounds in 6 circuits.

1998 The season has 7 rounds and an All Star Series.
1999 The season has 7 rounds and an All Star Series.

2003 The season has 8 rounds.
2004 The season has 7 rounds and an All Star Series takes place in the USA.
2005 The series is renamed to SUPER GT with 8 rounds in this season.
2006 The season has 9 rounds. Supra successor SC430 is entered in GT500.
2007 The season has 9 rounds. SUPER GT marks 100th race in Round 9 at Fuji.
2008 The season has 9 rounds. Fairlady Z successor GT-R is entered in GT500.
2009 The season has 9 rounds.

The world-renowned McLaren F1 GTR makes a splashy entrance. All-star race (non titlerace) inaugurates where the participants have been chosen in fan voting.

2016 earthquakes cause the cancellation of Round 3 Autopolis. It is

FIA-F4 – A Feeder Series on the Rise
FIA-F4 JAPANESE CHAMPIONSHIP certified
by the Fédération Internationale del’Automobile (FIA) is a new series
inaugurated in 2015 by the SUPER GT
organizer GTA. Following a proposal by FIA,
FIA-F4 was created as “the fourth formula
car category”. It started off in 2014 with
the inauguration of Italian Championshipfollowed by many other nations’ ownchampionships including Japan, UK,
Germany, Australia and China. The newfeeder series employs one-make formulacars with which drivers compete under highlevel of safety and equal conditions.
#80 OTG DL F4CHALLENGE

2014

GT500 now uses common technical regulations with DTM, governing
the 2014 cars onwards (2.0-liter four-cylinder direct injection
turbocharged engine and common monocoque chassis). The season
has 8 rounds of which one is the first official round in Thailand.

2015

The new mother chassis concept cars first arrive in GT300. The cars now
share a number of common components including the monocoque,and it allows the teams to develop competitive cars more freely at lower
cost. The season has 8 rounds.

Great Platform for Young Drivers to Improve Their Skills
In the hierarchy of formula racing category with Formula 1 at the pinnacle(see the illustration at the right), FIA-F4 Championship is ranked as fourth.
The category targets young drivers serving as a stepping stone into FIA-F3/
Super Formula Lights (SFL), FIA-F2/Super Formula (SF) and then F1. Thishierarchical format is similar in structure of baseball: F1 is regarded as the
Major League Baseball while FIA-F4 is as college baseball Division 1. As
many of the SUPER GT drivers hail from these feeder categories, FIA-F4
Championship definitely is the one that GT fans must follow.

FORMULA RACING HIERARCHY■：F1■：FIA-F2／SF■：FIA-F3／SFL■：FIA-F4

F1
FIA-F2/SF

2012
Hybrid cars (Toyota Prius and Honda CR-Z) first appear in GT300.

22

2014

A Thai round of the series ismade an official round whichis the second overseas roundafter Malaysia.

FIA-F4
Official
Sponsors

FIA-F3/S
F

LFIA-F423

2021 Season Entry List
No.

CAR

DRIVER

1

STANLEY NSX-GT
Honda NSX-GT

Naoki Yamamoto

3

CRAFTSPORTS MOTUL GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

Kohei Hirate

8

ARTA NSX-GT
Honda NSX-GT

Tomoki Nojiri

12

CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

Kazuki Hiramine

14

ENEOS X PRIME GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Kazuya Oshima

16

Red Bull MOTUL MUGEN NSX-GT
Honda NSX-GT

Ukyo Sasahara

17

Astemo NSX-GT
Honda NSX-GT

Koudai Tsukakoshi

19

WedsSport ADVAN GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Yuji Kunimoto

23

MOTUL AUTECH GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

Tsugio Matsuda

24

Realize corporation ADVAN GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500

Mitsunori Takaboshi

36

au TOM’S GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Yuhi Sekiguchi

37

KeePer TOM’S GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Ryo Hirakawa

38

ZENT CERUMO GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Yuji Tachikawa

39

DENSO KOBELCO SARD GR Supra
TOYOTA GR Supra GT500

Heikki Kovalainen

64

Modulo NSX-GT
Honda NSX-GT

Takuya Izawa

Tadasuke Makino

Katsumasa Chiyo

Nirei Fukuzumi

Nobuharu Matsushita

Kenta Yamashita

Toshiki Oyu

Bertrand Baguette

Ritomo Miyata

Ronnie Quintarelli

Daiki Sasaki

Sho Tsuboi

Sacha Fenestraz

Hiroaki Ishiura

Yuichi Nakayama

Hiroki Otsu

• Tire: BS=Bridgestone, DL=Dunlop, MI=Michelin, YH=Yokohama* Entries are subject to change.

ENTRANTTIRE

TEAM KUNIMITSUBS

NDDP RACING with B-MAX

MI

ARTA

BS

TEAM IMPULBSTGR TEAM ENEOS ROOKIEBSTEAM Red Bull MUGEN

DL

Astemo REAL RACINGBSTGR TEAM WedsSport BANDOH

YH

NISMO

MI

KONDO RACINGYH

TGR TEAM au TOM’SBSTGR TEAM KeePer TOM’SBSTGR TEAM ZENT CERUMOBSTGR TEAM SARD

BS

Modulo Nakajima Racing

DL

25

CAR

DRIVER2

muta Racing Lotus MC
LOTUS EVORA MC

Hiroki Katoh

4

No.

26

ENTRANT

TIRE

No.

CAR

DRIVERmuta Racing INGING

BS

35

arto RC F GT3
LEXUS RC F GT3

Sean Walkinshaw

GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG Nobuteru Taniguchi
Mercedes AMG GT3
Tatsuya Kataoka

GOODSMILE RACING & TeamUKYO

YH

48

SHOKUMOU Ks Frontier GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3

Yuki Tanaka

5

MACHSYAKEN GTNET MC86
MACH GOTOYOTA 86 MC

Yuya Hiraki

TEAM MACH

YH

50

Arnage AMG GT3
Mercedes AMG GT3

Masaki Kano

6

Team LeMans Audi R8 LMS
Audi R8 LMS

Satoshi Motoyama

Team LeMans w/MOTOYAMA Racing

YH

52

SAITAMATOYOPET GB
GR Supra GT
TOYOTA GR Supra

Hiroki Yoshida7

Studie PLUS BMW
BMW M6 GT3Seiji Ara

BMW Team Studie × CSL

YH

55ARTA NSX GT3
Honda NSX GT3

Shinichi Takagi

9

PACIFIC NAC CARGUY Ferrari
Ferrari 488 GT3

Takeshi Kimura

PACIFIC CARGUY Racing

YH

56

Realize Nissan Automobile
Technical College GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3

Kiyoto Fujinami

10

GAINER TANAX with IMPUL GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3

Kazuki Hoshino

GAINERDL

60

SYNTIUM LMcorsa GR Supra GT
TOYOTA GR Supra

Hiroki Yoshimoto

11

GAINER TANAX GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3

Katsuyuki Hiranaka

GAINERDL

61

SUBARU BRZ R & D SPORTSUBARU BRZ GT300

Takuto Iguchi

18

UPGARAGE NSX GT3
Honda NSX GT3

Takashi Kobayashi

TEAM UPGARAGE

YH

65

LEON PYRAMID AMG
Mercedes AMG GT3

Naoya Gamou

21

Hitotsuyama Audi R8 LMS
Audi R8 LMS

Shintaro Kawabata

Audi Team Hitotsuyama

YH

87

GRANSEED LAMBORGHINI GT3
Lamborghini HURACAN GT3

Kosuke Matsuura

22

R’Qs AMG GT3
Mercedes AMG GT3

Hisashi WadaR’Qs MOTOR SPORTS

YH

88

JLOC LAMBORGHINI GT3
Lamborghini HURACAN GT3

Takashi Kogure

25

HOPPY Porsche
PORSCHE 911 GT3 R

Takamitsu Matsui

HOPPY team TSUCHIYA

YH

96

K-tunes RC F GT3
LEXUS RC F GT3

Morio Nitta

30

TOYOTA GR SPORT
PRIUS PHV apr GT
TOYOTA GR SPORT PRIUS PHV

Hiroaki Nagai

apr

YH

244

Takanoko-no-yu GR Supra GT
TOYOTA GR Supra

Atsushi Miyake

31

TOYOTA GR SPORT
PRIUS PHV apr GT
TOYOTA GR SPORT PRIUS PHV

Koki Saga

apr

BS

360

RUNUP RIVAUX GT-R
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3

Takayuki Aoki

34

Yogibo NSX GT3
Honda NSX GT3

Ryo Michigami

Yogibo Drago CORSE

YH• Tire: BS=Bridgestone, DL=Dunlop, YH=Yokohama* Entries are subject to change.

Ryohei Sakaguchi

Reiji Hiraki

Yoshiaki Katayama

Tomohide Yamaguchi

Kei Cozzolino

Keishi Ishikawa

Hironobu Yasuda

Teppei Natori

Takuro Shinohara

Masaki Jyonai

Kimiya Sato

Manabu Orido

Yuhki Nakayama

Shogo Mitsuyama

Nattapong Hortongkum

Taiyou Iida

Masataka Yanagida

Kohta Kawaai

Ren Sato

Joao Paulo de Oliveira

Shunsuke Kohno

Hideki Yamauchi

Togo Suganami

Natsu Sakaguchi

Yuya Motojima

Sena Sakaguchi

Yuui Tsutsumi

Atsushi Tanaka

ENTRANT

TIRE

arto Ping An Team Thailand

YH

NILZZ Racing

YH

Arnage Racing

YH

Saitama Toyopet Green Brave

BS

ARTA

BS

KONDO RACINGYH

LM corsaDL

R & D SPORTDL

K2 R & D LEON RACING

BS

JLOC

YH

JLOC

YH

K-tunes RacingDL

Max Racing

YH

TOMEI SPORTS

YH

27